Curiosity and the photographic artist.

Do you ever have the feeling that you have suddenly lost curiosity about things? As an example; when was the last time you closed one eye, put an empty paper towel tube up to the open eye, and looked through the tube? I watch children play a lot. Between time spent with my grandsons and younger children where I work my “9 to 5” I see how children, especially younger children, are curious about things around them. They look at many things much more creatively than older children or adults. Is it that we fear being thought of as being odd? Is it that we think we have “seen it all before”.

I vaguely remember the building in my featured image. I remember the trip. I remember the town but I don’t remember many of the details of the building. Looking at the photograph I wonder what was this building originally. When was it built.? What did the walls feel like (I didn’t touch them at the time but I want to now)? What did it look like inside? As I wrote that, I was suddenly reminded of a photograph that I can’t find quickly, of a grain elevator. I was photographing it when a young man approached who worked there asked if I needed help. I told him I was a photographer interested in the mill as it looked to be very old. He told me he didn’t know much about it but his grandfather might. We found his grandfather. I explained that I was working on a project to photograph grain elevators, especially those that looked old and interesting. The grandfather gave me the history of the place and a tour allowing me inside to take as many photographs as I wished. Now I have to find those photographs.

Stay curious! Ask! Look!